NC NC- Tera Dianne Fino Tracy, 25, murdered at work on Christmas Eve, Castle Hayne, 24 Dec 1999

[aThousandYearsWide]

Name: Tera Dianne Fino Tracy
Age: 25
Date: Dec. 24, 1999
Location: Castle Hayne
Summary: Tracy, a mother of four, was working at The Pantry, 5800 Castle Hayne Road, when she was stabbed and beaten during a robbery on Christmas Eve morning. A customer found her body.
Wilmington Star News

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

This is interesting, I found another murder victim in a different NC town that 12 years earlier was killed while working at another business called The Pantry. Coincidence?

Case #: 1987-117081
Victim: Teresa Sneed

On July 24, 1987 at 2 am, Greensboro officers were called to 101 Pisgah Church Rd., the Pantry, in reference to a subject down. Upon arrival, officers found the clerk, Teresa Sneed, lying on the floor in the back of the business. Further investigation revealed that Sneed died from multiple gunshot wounds during a robbery. There is a Governor’s reward of $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible

1980-89 | Greensboro, NC

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

The bread delivery man was making the morning delivery and walked into the store only to find Tera’s body and there was a lot of blood,” Varella said.

Varella said the delivery man called 911 and when first responders arrived Tracy was still holding onto life. He said they did everything they could to try to save her life. She was pronounced dead later at the hospital.

“It was awful,” Greimann said. “It was something that should not have happened.”

What happened is something investigators are still trying to piece together.

“Tera actually suffered from multiple stab wounds,” Varella said. “She was stabbed in the head and the chest and the torso.”

Was it a robbery gone wrong?

“The cash register was knocked over in the store and an undisclosed amount of cash had been taken from the register, as well as probably some packs of cigarettes, because some cigarettes had been knocked over,” Varella said.

Something did not add up.

“The weapon that she was stabbed with was unique,” Varella said. “I won’t go into detail as to what that weapon was. It’s not something you see every day and it’s not something that’s typically used in the course of a robbery.”

There were no surveillance cameras, but Varella said they found evidence of a vehicle parked nearby.

“This is based on a K9 track that was done that leads to where what appear to be some tire impressions parked at a nearby church,” Varella said.

“Did she have enemies? Do you guys have any kind of motive?”

“To our knowledge, she didn’t have any enemies at the time,” Varella said.

Varella said Tracy’s husband at home right across the street when it happened.

“Fortunately her kids were actually with their grandparents or with another family member,” Varella said.

Varella said they do not know who did it, but he said they do know Tracy did not make it easy for them.

“Tera definitely defended herself,” Varella said. “She had defensive wounds where more than likely she had a shot on the killer as well and from what I’ve been able to determine about Tera and the type of person she was. She was a fighter.”

#UNSOLVED: Robbery gone wrong or planned murder on Christmas Eve? - WWAY TV

 

[MeRgE18]

Name: Tera Dianne Fino Tracy
Age: 25
Date: Dec. 24, 1999
Location: Castle Hayne
Summary: Tracy, a mother of four, was working at The Pantry, 5800 Castle Hayne Road, when she was stabbed and beaten during a robbery on Christmas Eve morning. A customer found her body.
Wilmington
I don't know how this works...but the person who posted this who are you??

 

[JrzyGirl70]

From New Hanover Sheriff's Office FB page:

In August 2009 a person made contact with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office anonymously with information concerning this case. We are asking for this person’s help, and would like to speak to this person about the information they provided. If you are the person that provided this information, please call the Cold Case/Homicide Unit at the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at 910-798-4260.

New Hanover County Sheriff's Office

 

[JrzyGirl70]

Some interesting information here:

Cold case: Relatives wait 8 years for answers in murder of Castle Hayne mom

 

[MeRgE18]

This is my mother I have been searching and searching for anything that will help me put this all together....its been long enough and I feel it in my bones that something will come up or someone will slip up....it won't be long..I hope

 

[JrzyGirl70]

@MeRgE18 Welcome to Websleuths. My deepest condolences on the loss of your Mom. Praying you have answers and her case is solved soon.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

This is my mother I have been searching and searching for anything that will help me put this all together....its been long enough and I feel it in my bones that something will come up or someone will slip up....it won't be long..I hope

I knew it was a Friday before i looked......A family friend saw Tracy alive and well in the store about 3:15 a.m. The witches hour. An hour or so later she was attacked.

NOT to sound weird. But they said some cigarettes may have been taking. That would have been discovered when a clerk did the check thing at the beginning of there shift. They would know which ones were missing. Do you know what brand it was that may have been taking?? Newport perhaps, menthol for example, would you know???.........And she lived across the street were she work I read.

And the murder weapon, would it be fair to say, it is what he was using to rob the store instead of a gun lets say. And i assume the weapon was left at the scene yes?

If they still have the murder weapon, perhaps they could pull some DNA from it

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

If the weapon was a strange one, or a weapon of opportunity, then I think robbery wasn't the motive

 

[Luckyzmom]

Welcome to WS @MeRgE18 , glad you found WS. I pray that you are successful in your efforts to find this POI. Please let us know what you need help with right now. You have found a great bunch of awesome sleuths and wonderful people here . I am very sorry for the loss of your Mom . Be safe and stay well

 

[MeM406]

I remember this very well. I worked with Tera's best friend (S). I was out of town over Christmas and when I returned to work (S) pulled me aside and told me about Tera’s murder. Less than a month later (S) moved in with her best friend (Tera's) husband and kids, (S) told me she was pregnant. Not long after they married, and then (S) lost the baby. Not sure how long they stay married, I lost track of (S) after she quit. I hate to upset Tera's children but I truly believe Tera's husband killed her. I spoke to detectives about what I knew first hand and shared my suspicions several years ago (not anonymously). I think about Tera and her kids all the time, I am glad to see her daughter is not giving up on finding her killer.

 

[MeRgE18]

Who are you?? Did you work with “S” at petsmart?

 

[LnMn2013]

I remember this very well. I worked with Tera's best friend (S). I was out of town over Christmas and when I returned to work (S) pulled me aside and told me about Tera’s murder. Less than a month later (S) moved in with her best friend (Tera's) husband and kids, (S) told me she was pregnant. Not long after they married, and then (S) lost the baby. Not sure how long they stay married, I lost track of (S) after she quit. I hate to upset Tera's children but I truly believe Tera's husband killed her. I spoke to detectives about what I knew first hand and shared my suspicions several years ago (not anonymously). I think about Tera and her kids all the time, I am glad to see her daughter is not giving up on finding her killer.

Not sure you source of Info but you Got it a little backwards .... As a child of Paul Tracy My Father ... no way if you do a Fact check you come up with that... dna was all over My moms body from cuts, scrapes, etc... my Dad was one of the first to be tested and had no scratches or cuts and his dna didn’t match that of. Which was on the body

 

[LnMn2013]

Not sure you source of Info but you Got it a little backwards .... As a child of Paul Tracy My Father ... no way if you do a Fact check you come up with that... dna was all over My moms body from cuts, scrapes, etc... my Dad was one of the first to be tested and had no scratches or cuts and his dna didn’t match that of. Which was on the body

I’d like to know the name of who wrote this because obviously you didn’t wanna come out and tell ups who you are

 

[MeRgE18]

I will never give up but I can tell you this... it wasn’t my father bc whoever killed her she(my mother)whooped their ass mom had dna under her nails my father has passed every test under the sun not to mention he didn’t have a scratch on him... I think it’s pretty up to say such and it’s up on Sunnas behalf to tell you this all while trying to take on my mothers roll which never was accomplished bc no one could have ever taken her place and why Would she get with a man she claims did these things and then turn around and have a baby with him. That’s some psycho ass if u ask me... but please by all means if u have some info and aren’t afraid to say it or your name please do So bc id love to know... I won’t keep my mouth shut any longer. You can’t just come up here on a public forum responding to the daughter of a Woman who was murdered and state u were told by her best friend which is complete they were far from friends that her husband my father did it... not cool..

 

[MeRgE18]

Wasn’t trying to be rude in my last post it just hit me wrong. I apologize but I really would like to know who you are even if it’s not up here. It’s just that time of year again I have 4 kids of my own and if something like this ever happened to me I would never want my kids or husband to stop searching for answers ever!

 

[MeRgE18]

Ok so I noticed that this person has been up her since my last post but hasn’t acknowledged it... you could send me a direct message if u don’t want to say anything up here on a public forum.. kind of like u did when u said after knowing I was their daughter and still proceeding to say u thought my father was her killer...that is a thought... unless u actually are trying to me anonymous

 

[Jen Waid]

Hello @MeRgE18
First, my condolences to you.
Second, Sunna is my sister, and she did not lose the baby. Her daughter, being my niece, is thriving.
That being said, I came to this site specifically to find this case. Obviously because it kinda involves Sunna, but to also compare the facts to the story she told me. I would be glad to discuss this through private message if you'd like.

 

[noidea01]

A family friend saw Tracy alive and well in the store about 3:15 a.m. The witches hour. An hour or so later she was attacked

Did they ever question this family friend?